Chennai: On 18 February, TAKE Solutions, a global business technology solutions provider, launched TAKE Academy of Life Science and Leadership (TALL) to cater to the talent needs of the lifesciences industry. TALL has been launched with the aim of creating a well-informed and industry-ready workforce that is competent in an era of transparency, collaboration, continuously transforming regulatory standards, and for enabling better healthcare for the global patient population. TALL will offer training programs to engineering and non engineering college students to enhance employability skills in the lifescience industry.

TALL has collaborated with SRM University, Shasun Pharmaceuticals, and Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS). Both SRM and Shasun will provide student support to TALL and TISS will design the curriculum; provide training in quality control assessment; examination and certification to students inducted in TALL. The lifesciences industry is a knowledge industry that requires deep domain expertise, knowledge of emerging regulations, and strict enforcement of quality and compliance. The pace of change driven by increased automation leveraging cutting-edge technology solutions and mandates by global regulatory agencies for safer and more effective drugs at affordable healthcare costs is extremely high. The training needs of the existing and new workforce have to be addressed and TALL aims to deliver a differentiated curriculum to address this agenda.

In an attempt to address the skill and knowledge gap in the lifesciences industry, TALL will work to enhance the proficiency of the existing workforce, enable technical expertise of students and will reach out to underprivileged youth to take up higher education through its ‘Earn while you learn' scheme. TALL's hands-on approach to delivering industry-oriented curriculum along with providing candidates with the best of wet lab facilities as well as access to technology solutions via computer labs for real and practical experience to solving industry challenges will be its USP. The academy has adopted innovative teaching methodologies in physical and virtual classrooms, to impart skills as well as self-empowerment through leadership training.

Addressing the media at the launch, Mr HR Srinivasan, CEO of TAKE SOLUTIONS, commented, "The paucity of skilled workforce in the lifescience sector has compelled us to launch this academy. As a service provider to the lifesciences industry, TAKE Solutions takes onus in creating talented human capital for the industry. This initiative will bridge the existing talent gap in the industry and will also contribute to strengthening India's position as a leading pharma market for foreign investors and partners."

Speaking at the launch, managing director of Shasun Pharmaceuticals' Mr Abhaya Kumar said, "Shasun is the first pharma company in Tamil Nadu to enter into the sphere of strengthening talented workforce. This initiative will help fulfill Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ‘Make in India' concept. The Indian pharma industry is undergoing a major transformation. Along with this transformation, a highly skilled workforce having knowledge in meeting global regulatory standards is imperative. TALL, I believe, will create a broader avenue to students who can hone their skills and increase their employability quotient."

Mr Ram Yeleswarapu, president and CEO, TAKE Solutions said, "We have been serving the global lifesciences industry very effectively for well over a decade and now we aim to empower the workforce with knowledge and technologies that are shaping the trends of the future."